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Why Muslims Have Such a Mindset
Raza Habib Raja
In my previous article titled as “ How Moderate Muslims Reinforce the Problem” I tried to explore the linkage between mindset of moderate Muslims and extremism. I tried to show that due to their denial expressed in the form of weird conspiracy theories and apologetic defense, moderate Muslims end up inadvertently supporting the extremists and the radical elements.
But why Muslims are like that? The reasons in my opinion are manifold and some are imbedded in our cognitive framework while rest are the outcome of international events and the actual behaviour of foreign players.
First of all, conspiracy theories appeal to our fundamental and deeply held conviction that a Muslim cannot do anything which would bring a bad name to Islam and lead to adverse consequences to the Muslim community. The central issue is of our mindset which is delusional and has been nurtured through Islamic mythology according to which Muslims are superior in calibre as well as virtue and therefore cannot indulge in anything sinister like terrorism. Moreover, apparently the more fundamentalist you are in your appearance harder it is for the public to actually believe that you are capable of these actions. This may explain why it has been difficult for the public to believe that Taliban are behind anything. And it also makes sense as to why they are now interpreted as “agents” or bifurcated between “good” and “bad” Taliban to explain once it has become clear that in some factions of Taliban are actually involved in hideous crimes.
This Muslim superiority assumption also explains the habit of coming up with apologetic defense (normally given when evidence has become too damning). Since Muslims in their own opinion are morally superior therefore when it is perceived by them that one of the Muslims has actually indulged in terrorism (actually when evidence is so damning that even weirdest conspiracy theory cannot “absolve” him), their natural belief is that the act is merely a reaction to the “atrocities” committed by the West. I remember reading Ansar Abbassi’s column where he tried to explain the bomb basts at a sufi shrine as a reaction to US atrocities in Afghanistan! It was weird and completely nonsensical but not surprisingly there were many takers of his view. And his view is the mainstream view.
Secondly, we always link consequences with origination. Since terrorism “benefits” West because it defames Islam and gives them a justification to retaliate, therefore in our logic it must have been solely planned by them. A classic case is of 9/11. Since the incidence led to US retaliation therefore a huge majority of the Muslims actually believe that it was actually planned by the United States itself in order to create justification for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and to defame Muslims.
Likewise in Pakistan, the nuclear issue is extremely sensitive and somehow or the other assumed a central place due to our inherent insecurities and also crisis of identity. Moreover, the nuclear arsenal is perhaps the only thing which actually elevates Pakistan to at least a factor to reckon with at the global stage. It’s no wonder that every terrorist activity is then conveniently linked with the global conspiracy to destabilize Pakistan with the ultimate objective of taking hold of nuclear arsenal.Suicide blasts conducted by Muslim extremists are assumed to be planned by US so that the concerns about inadequate security of these nukes appear plausible. Now there is merit in this thought that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal would always be giving the US and the West sleepless nights but to give these amazing spins that al-Qaeda is planted by USA and suicide attacks are planned and carried by USA alone is really mind boggling and moreover self contradictory. Because if Al-Qaeda and Taliban are indeed planted then military action in tribal areas would actually eliminate these agents and deprive US of the justification to take military action to neutralize the nuclear assets.
It somehow escapes otherwise extremely rich imagination of the conspiracy theorists that it becomes extremely difficult to take action against even the identified militants due to our deeply held unquestionable and contradictory convictions. If US goal is to destabilize Pakistan through suicide bombings and at the same time the identified militants are absolved of their crimes and labelled as victims of mere American propaganda, then we are willingly letting the US agents go unpunished.
Thirdly, the conspiracy theories also owe their existence (though not the extent of their weirdness) to foreign powers’ actual way of dealing which has at times been oppressive and suspicious. The flimsy case of war in Iraq has merely strengthened and worst still apparently provided some sellable legitimacy to the conspiracy theorists. Whenever there is any question to authenticity to fantastic theories, the Iraq war and US general way of handling crisis is cited as justification. As a result self contradictory theories which brand militants as US agents and yet resist government crackdown by labelling it as US war, find acceptability in the public.
Any society has to indulge into an honest intellectual discourse at the time of crisis. Unfortunately, we not only resist it, but are completely blinded to our own faults. The hatred is misplaced, the enemy is within, but we are totally oblivious to it and in the process strengthening the forces of extremism through appeasement, apologetic defense or outright denial.
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279 Responses to "Why Muslims Have Such a Mindset"
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“Each and every one of my verses has chosen to take its place as a tangible object, each and every one of my poems has claimed to be a useful working instrument, each and every one of my songs has endeavored to serve as a sign in space for a meeting between paths which cross one another, or as a piece of stone or wood on which someone, some others, those who follow after, will be able to carve the new signs.”
- Pablo Neruda
REX
======
Glad to hear that Hindus are dropping caste system and sati. When will the muslims drop APOSTACY, BLASPHEMY AND KILLINGS OF SHIAS/ AHMADIYAS ?
Most agree that this practice of sati started to protect their womenfolk from Muslim invaders who used to brutally rape and forcibly convert Hindu girls. Most of these rapists were Afghanis and Turks- like yourself !!
But I agree that most Turks nowadays are very polite and civilised, a lot to do with the Christian/ European influence of them. I love going to Antalya where our sailing club has a huge presence.
Most decent Muslims in India from famous film stars like the three Khans or the President Abdul Kalam freely incorporate the best of Hindu practices in their lives and this is what has prevented them from going down the jihadi mullah route and gain universal respect, both in India and abroad.
NC
you are a confirmed non-believer. You talk about the Prophet Of God Mohammad(pbuh) who is loved by almost two billion followers of Islam and then criticise him. And when you do it is not even you, it is the EVil which is writing. How could any one but a non-believer ask of a muslim what you have asked. And I am going to tell you that while the christians carry their cross to keep away the evil, I have learnt to break my communication with the individual until the Evil has left.
Rex Minor
@ Rex Minor (September 3, 2012 at 6:52 pm)
//..We must not therefore ignore the victimisation of the under privileaged communities in the human family..//
I couldn’t agree more. Well said.
Regards
Kashif
Ranjeet,
His reference to the one day life of lion( if he did say it) which I do not fancy nor do I fancy nameless people who have adopted the name of Lion as their family name. Perhaps in his time this was a norm to use figurative sentences? I do not mean to be rude in my english.
Rex Minor
rex refuses to speak with those who are non-believers and thus proves that his faith is false and fake. If a faith is true then the faithful person has no problem with non-believers and does not refuse to talk to them or listen to them with an open-mind.
A fascist totalitarian ideology (or “faith”) forbids its followers from interacting with those who reject this ideology (or “faith”). It is an important criterion of fascism.
“A fascist totalitarian ideology (or “faith”) forbids its followers from interacting with those who reject this ideology (or “faith”). It is an important criterion of fascism.”
Ok, agree or disagree, this is the first real argument you have made, ahem.
It would be so much better if you move away from your ad-hominem attacks on Islam and presented whatever disagreements you have with it in the form you did here.
kaal chakra- a rarity for me- agree with you COMPLETELY for the second time in one day
ahem – repeat – make your language less aggressive – by about 90% !!!!!- and only then will your message get through.
Rex,
Who cares about what you ‘fancy?’ Are you pre-programmed to Only speak in non-deprecatory terms about people you ‘fancy’? In any case,the PTH is a public forum and NOT your private fiefdom ; so how difficult is it for you to speak about unknown (to you) people with grace and honour?
Lastly, please do not hide behind the excuse of Lack of expertise in English. There have been enough and more occasions when you’ve tripped and something tells me that it will happen again; esp towards the latter half of any thread that you join and begin to lose your bearings around.
to kaal and mishra
I have sometimes used a language that avoided mentioning any particular name or name of an ideology or religion to voice very general conclusions and arguments. I know the importance of algebraic language since I work with it. But sometimes it is necessary to name the real name.
for example:
“An ideology that regards a person or book as final, perfect and uncriticizable becomes a fascism centred around this person or book.”
Such algebraic sentences I did write earlier too.
(BTW algebra was not originally invented by arabs or muslims – although the word algebra does have a partially arabic origin. In the field of language Panini clearly deserves to be called the first to use algebraic expressions in explaining and codifying Sanskrit Grammar).
There was (is?) a decision to boycott/ignore me on the PTH.
ahem,
Not non-belivers per say, I do not question peoples faith, but their motives when they are in the grip of Evil. I show my back like Merlin did and have been successful in keeping the evil away. Comprendo. I suggest you should do the same.
Rex Minor
@ Mythbuster
/
Here you are mistaken about the Free Will. God has given Free Will to human beings and they are free to choose between good and evil. Idol worshippers opt for the latter on their own accord, you cannot blame God for their wrong belief. Others like Muslims or even Christians don’t believe in idols and this is why they have spread their religion far and wide.
RHR,
Performance yes and actions as well. But not character assasination or violating a humans dignity, who is no longer with us and has since returned to God!
May god forgive me.
Rex Minor
@ RHR
King Akber was a ”screwer” and he corrupted all the Hindu Rajputs by laying their pretty women. Is this why you like him?? Moreover, His deen e ilahi was a flop scheme that was not only resisted and kicked out by his 9 jewels but also by his own son Price Jehangir. Akber was a wayward Muslim,,,,thank goodness Mirja Ghulla was not born during his time otherwise he would have named his cult differently ..ie other than Muslims.
/
there is too much propaganda against Aurangzeb because he was a strong ruler. He fought against the antisocial elements as the US and allied powers are doing against Taliban or Al Quaida…..nothing wrong in fighting against evil forces.
/
The fact that he did not kill his father is sufficient proof of his kindness towards his father. As for his brothers he was compelled to blind or kill them because that’s the way emperors do when they feel risk of life or throne from their siblings. Humayun also blinded his brothers after his father Babar told him not to kill them for treachery.
History is replete with such killings and thus there is hardly any reason for Aurangzeb to be blamed for such act.
/
The Hindus are jealous of Aurangzeb because he dismissed frivolous activities from his court which mainly dislodged the Hindu circus men and clowns from his grace. Being a staunch Muslim was another factor which tends the Hindus to hate him as much as the wayward so called liberal Muslims do. Unfortunately RHR is one of those lost self loathing Muslims
who maligns his own heroes. Rex is somewhat correct in his analysis of current happenings which are much like iron handed reaction to anti social elements world wide.
@ RHR
If you are a Muslim you should know the verses which the Quran points to strained religion with your parents . Paraphrasing them would tell you that ‘if you relationship has gone bad with your parents and you cannot bear them or they cannot bear them, then you should distant yourself from them”
This is exactly what Aurangzeb did by distancing him from himself and his treacherous brothers.
/
Coming to punishment given to h is son, well Arsalan Chodhry is also facing the same charges and may be sentences for fraud. Aurnagzeb’s blinding his son was right under the circumstances which showed that his son was trying to overthrow him through a conspiracy.
Even I would do the same if my son tried to overthrow me if I were a King!!
RHR, get out of sentimental thinking and follow facts…natural actions and reactions that are bound to occur when even you loved one tries to kill you.
/
here i recall a Punjabi proverb which states that ” even a she-monkey will crush her kids when her feet start burning with heat” (JADOAN BAANDARI DE PAIR SARAN LAGDE NE TE O APNE BACHYAAN NU VEE PAIRAAN THALLAY MEEND CHAD-DEE VAY”
PRETTY NATURAL, MAN!
@ RHR
correction: read relations or relationship instead religion in 2nd line
/
If you are a Muslim you should know the verses which the Quran points to strained religion with your parents . Paraphrasing them would tell you that ‘if you relationship has gone bad with your parents and you cannot bear them or they cannot bear them, then you should distant yourself from them”
This is exactly what Aurangzeb did by distancing him from himself and his treacherous brothers.
Akb, akb, a kaaba, a mosque, kuran are all objects that are worshipped directly or indirectly. They are like idols. In churches there are beautiful idols of statues of Christ.
To each his own. Who the bloody hell are you to tell me who I worship, how I worship or if I do not worship. It is none of your bloody business. I dont care if any saint or prophet says about idol worship, it is not his bloody business.
If you make derogatory remarks about any religion then be prepared for vicious attacks on the shortcomings of your own, of which there are too many.
“NC
.
The key clarifications for the followers of judaism and christianity;
. Jesus christ(pbuh) was the son of virgin Mary, and the true prophet of God. This prophet is referred to in Quraan more than two dozen times and those who burnt it simply revealed that they are jews.
. Jesus was not the son of God but the messenger of God. There no other God but only One God called Allah(in arabic and aramaesh) languages. only one God and no other God”
.
Rex,
.
Calling Jesus a messenger of god rather than son of god is not an anomaly that needed fixing. This does not change anything in the domain of morality which should be any religion’s primary concern. A religion is not about who is what and how but how should a person behave. I am sorry but calling Jesus messenger of god rather than son of god sounds more like either Muhammad made a mistake (which is very likely since he didn’t have a copy of Bible) or wanted to portray himself as same as Jesus, that’s all. It solves no anomaly as far as the Christians are concerned.
.
BTW, if you don’t mind, what “anomaly” of Judaism Muhammad solved?
It is impossible to make derogatory remarks about hindu religions. If anyone tries it, he makes a fool of himself. This is because hindu religions are not totalitarian – inclusive but not totalitarian. Islam is exclusive and totalitarian and thus ridicules and vilifies itself through its own theory and practices.
NC
I write in plain though imperfect english and but you do not follow and raise further questions, in the same manner that the jews asked of Moses. The Jews did not accept the status of Jesus(pbuh) as a Prophet. They denied the clarfication in Quraan about Jesus(pbuh) as well.
This is the main reason for their thousands year of sufferings at the hands of christians, ending in the holocaust. This occured despite the fact that the generations which followed the older one had nothing to do with the events in jerusalem thousands of years ago.
I do not want to be rude but I have no stemina left to discuss religion further. Sorry.
Rex Minor
AKB
You have described adequately why the Indian Emperor took the steps that he took. But why offer justification of the cruelty and violence. He broke his oath with God and God alone could forgive him for this act. But for the crimes he committed against other humans No one other than the victims themselves could forgive him for the injuries he caused.
Rex Minor
AKB AND AURANGZEB
====================
sadly your brushing aside the extreme brutality that Aurangzeb visited on his brothers (killing them all) and his son (blinding) and his father (imprisoning a sick, frail and old man), finds parallels in the morally bankrupt education system of Pakistan’s school history books, where wanton violence by Islamic kings is either ignored or glorified.
“: the conquest of the Deccan, to which, Aurangzeb devoted the last 26 years of his life, was in many ways a Pyrrhic victory, costing an estimated hundred thousand lives a year during its last decade …The expense in gold and rupees can hardly be accurately estimated. Aurangzeb’s encampment was like a moving capital – all of whom had to be fed, stripped the Deccan of any and all of its surplus grain and wealth… Not only famine but bubonic plague arose…Even Aurangzeb, had ceased to understand the purpose of it all by the time he was nearing 90… ” I do not know what I have been doing,” the dying old man confessed, that he was the world’s biggest sinner “
ranjeet
.
Rex is most probably a Pushtun and a Shia Muslim. He knows little about the subcontinent but has a lot of interest. He is a good man but he needs to stop talking about the “light” of Islam and how it is “superior” to other religions. He is a test case why Muslims as a whole find it difficult to integrate and are generally not well-liked. Indian Muslims (well, most of them) are different as they don’t usually brag about their religion. Rex needs to realize that religion is a private matter and his constant “My dad is better than yours” refrain is bound to ruffle some feathers. Especially with Hindus and Sikhs many of whom have had the experience of the nasty sides of Islam not too long ago. Koran as a book denigrates one sixth of humanity as “sinners” etc. (I believe, unwittingly, out of Muhammad’s personal vendetta), without having any knowledge or understanding of their philosophy and spiritual practices. Well meaning Muslims therefore should be polite and modest not brag about it.
The debate on Aurangzeb unfortunately quickly deteriorates into a Hindu Muslim contest which is a testimony to the fact how pivotal and polarizing he was (and remains). It is unfortunate because it is highly distracting from the task of analyzing the true impact of Aurangzeb on his Empire and its subjects.
.
AKB has a point; Aurangzeb was a medieval monarch; a risky profession in those times. A single misstep made the difference between a
‘Takht or ‘Takhta’ (crown or grave).
Recently an Indian historian, Abraham Eraly wrote a very readable book on the Mughal Empire that is worth a read and gives fascinating details.
.
For example, according to Eraly, Aurangzeb was “the mildest, the least violent and the most law-abiding” of the Mughals. Eraly concludes that “Aurangzeb’s humanity and kindness was such that the severest punishment was reduction of dignity…. the lowlier the offenders, the more merciful was Aurangzeb.” He is projected as fond of good food and “infatuated with a Hindu dancing girl Hira Bai…. She nearly turned him into a hedonist!”
.
Moreover compelling evidence suggests that a vast number of Mansabdars under Aurangzeb were Hindu. By his time, the Empire had overextended itself. The conquest of the Deccan meant that the locus of power and the logistics of control changed. Aurangzeb’s policy of “Islamisation” must be seen in the context of a world of fragile loyalties—an attempt to create a homogeneity of interest out of a chaos of self-serving feudatories.
.
All this humanizes the Emperor; more importantly put him in proper context of the times. Yet Eraly thinks he was a failure; and none other than Aurangzeb himself knew it when he uttered the words:
“Azmast Hama Fasad-i-Baki” (after me, Chaos)
.
Eraly writes: ‘It had been for Aurangzeb and his forebears, a long and arduous climb to the summit but for Aurangzeb standing at the pinnacle, was looking at an Abyss. For his successors, he left but one step into the abyss.
There are several very well reasoned causes mentioned why he thought Aurangzeb was a failure; one can read them. The chief among them was that neither did he have the imagination and foresight of his ancestors to evolve with the times nor their hindsight to not mess with the parts of the system left behind by Akbar that seemed to work so well.
In all it was a damning verdict; under Aurangzeb, Eraly wrote, the very future of India had died….
MYTHBUSTER
===========
You are making the same mistake when judging Aurangzeb- tyrants are meant to be judged by their worst and most evil acts. ThusHitler is judged by his gassing of 6 million Jews- if he built some lovely architecture, or was a good lover to Eva Braun is completely irrelevant.
So to say that Aurangzeb had many Hindu mansabdars is totally irrelevant. Since the vast majority of subjects were Hindu/ Sikh, then obviously if one had to rule then one did need some of them if one wanted to avoid an all out rebellion.
Besides the blinding and fratricidal killing mentioned above, his other cruel act was how he dealt with one of the Sikh gurus- Tegh Bahadur Singh. The Guru went to Aurangzeb to put forward the case of Kashmiri pandits who were being forced to convert to Islam or face death.
Instead of a civilised debate, the Guru was ordered to be killed by torture and burning which lasted 3 days !!
Oh did yousay he cavorted with a hindu dancing girl and was therefore human? Someone pass me the vomit bowl please- REX, AKB, ZAMEER, DRONA- hope you are reading above
A religion is to be judged by the evil that it brings forth. For the good that a religion brings forth it gets no marks since that is its minimal duty. Islam is bringing forth a lot of fascism, lies, violence and mental slavery. That is why muslims are angry when this is exposed. They want to deceive and live in self-deceit. When the muslim population component goes above 5% then social and political disaster follows slowly or fast. Muslims are themselves proving this.
AKB : Jadaoon Bandari.. what is this ? With due respect, PUNJABI’s are / were a worldly people (whatever religion may they profess). Too much load was put on them. As late as 1946, they never wanted Pakistan and they cared for their intrests. Chhotu Ram (Hindu Leader) supported Sikandar Hayat who was CM. Muslim-Sikh-Hindus were managing themselves and moving on. NOW The Punjabi (65% in terms of land as well as population) is taking revenge against Pakistan / Partition of India ! An un-natural thing super-imposed on them. After 65 yrs they are revolting. Talking about “Baandari” and so on. They talk Punjabi – but write it in Urdu. Pakistani Punjabi is a “DIALECT” not LANGUAGE. Dialect is acceptable – but not Script ! So naturally they cannot go beyond “Baandari” etc.
Why cant Pakistanis produce Literature in Punjabi like Amrita Pritam ? Script nahin hai.. to phir kya hai. A few words.. sentences.. gaali-galouj.. jokes ? Yehi aapka Punjabi Literary Heritage hai ? Bas !!
Even E. Punjab stopped producing literature now. E. Punjabis are MAKING money now. Maximum Mercedes cars (in India) are sold in Chandigarh ! This whole man-made disaster ! “Na samjhogey to mitt jaaogey” (written by a great poet but a poor student of Politics and Sociology/anthropology)… Fear-fear-fear… If they could lie during 200 yrs of British Raj, why couldnt they survive Hindoo Raj ? Why the fear of the Hindoo ?
Now fight among yourselves ! (As Khaliquzzaman said). Had Congress Parivar (RSS was a part of it – as Hegdewar himself was a member of Congress) conceded seats in UP – this whole man-made disaster could have been avoided.. but thanks to Nehru… (the well-mannered Narendra Modi pre-47). To ensure DYNASTY and out of his love for Indira., Nehru broke India. Nehru’s marriage had broken (it never took off.. it was a “loveless marriage”.. and Nehru was finding his moorings in life.. so he shifted his love towards Indira.. that love for the daughter.. played SOME role, if not all.. in the man-made disaster). Same couldnt be said of Patel. His agenda was civilisational… and he succeeded in it… God granted Nehru his wish too.. So both achieved success.
Jinnah obliged Nehru’s love for PRIYADARSHINI… and turned India into a furnace ! The wisest thing Jinnah did was to have left for England 1935 and settled there. His coming back was his biggest mistake. He should have remained there – like Nirad C. Chaudhri….
India was a land of Junglee Natives ! Where was the room for a sophisticated cultured and uncorruptible soul like Jinnah, here !
The BRITISHERS were criminals… and India was enslaved because of : (1) Jehangir giving permission to John Company to trade.. Sirajuddowlah (Mir Jafer).. Tipu Sultan (Mir Sadiq).. both were Shias… subsequently British injustice.. and DIVIDE-AND-RULE policy tore the sub-continent.
Bhakti Movement was the first attempt to save Hinduism from the onslaught of the democratic and liberating message of islam.
Partition of India was the second… to keep Dalits.. ENSLAVED.. within the Iron room of Hinduism.. of course.. with some lollipops.. Poona Pact 1928 was a Band-Aid.. A lollipop.. which Ambedkar accepted.. as his people were weak..
Ultimately Maya will become Mary… and after that.. Mary will become MARIAM. It may take a few centuries…
to drona
To call Jinnah as incorruptible is loose talk. Jinnah was corrupted by islam and islamic propaganda which coupled tightly to his megalomania and superiority complex. Some have decided to be blind to Jinnah’s defects and deficiencies. Islam and muslims have made kuran and Mohammad into idols and Pakistanis have made Jinnah into an idol. These idols (substitutes for god) need to be destroyed. What Mohammad did to the idols in the kaaba – that needs to be repeated about Mohammad himself, and also about kuran and Jinnah.
Corruption is a many-facetted, often very subtle, process and end-product. It is naivete to think Jinnah was incoruptible or was not corrupted. He was corrupted by his megalomania, his jealousy, his turn to islam and his tricky collaboration with the islamofascists, muslim feudals and muslim liars. He became their captive “exalted” instrument and could no more break free from them. The adoration that he received (and liked/enjoyed to receive) corrupted him fully.
Those who talk of Jinnah being incorrupt and incorruptible are being childish. They have no idea of how corruption eats into a human being and hides itself in him.
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